combining an OTA and a 311 question

[bderouen]

Hey guys!
First, I want to thank Scott and the other admins for providing this forum. I've learned so much in this new venture for me! I'm kind of a techie anyway, but computers are my forte. I feel like a duck out of water when learning this stuff. But I find it so very interesting!

Ok...now my situation and follow up question:

My Dad, 84 years old, is finally getting fed up with the cable monopoly in his area. What was the last straw was the cable provider sold out to someone else and that provider is jacking up rates and taking away channels! He's heard me raving about satellite and is interested in trying it, but the problem is, in his rather small city, where I was born, neither Direct or Dish bring in locals off of the satellite. He is not intereted in getting HD locals...he just wants locals. And what make it even more of a challenge logistically is "locals" to most of the people in his city (Lake Charles, LA), consider not only the stations in Lake Charles the locals, but stations in Lafayette LA (about an hour east) and Beaumont, TX (about an hour west).

I spoke with a local retailer/installer out of Orange TX who was willing to set him up with a service address in Lafayette, so he could get those stations off of the Dish and then install an OTA. The problem was he misunderstood and didnt realize my Dad wanted to get in one of the stations out of Beaumont, and he brought one of the lower powered WineGard models, which did not work and Dad told him to pull it out.

Well, what I've convinced my Dad to do is pick up a ChannelMaster 3721, which is available at Lowes, and I spoke to that installer about coming back out and giving it another try. He even said that if it worked and Dad did go with the Dish install, he would not charge him for mounting his antenna. Of course, if it didn't work and he just had to pull it down, then he'd have to charge a service call. Totally understandable. So I'm trying to do what research I can to prevent him from having to just say "never mind."

Since Dad is not interested in HD but he DOES want his locals...even if they're analog, the installer and I figured he'd put 311s (I think that's the model...the standard box, no DVR or no HD) on his TVs (he has 3) so he can diplex the OTA signal to all of his TVs. We decided on the 311s because Dad is not interested in HD.

Sorry for that long explanation but I've been dealing with this for a couple of weeks now.

Now, my questions are:
1. Does that sound like a workable plan? Would that CM pick up the analogs and allow it to be diplexed into his 311s?

2. Woudl you think that ChannelMaster be a good antenna for pulling in rather long distances...about 50-60 miles, and analog and/or digital, but not necessarily HD? It seems like from the CM website it woudl be, but I'd like some opinions from those of you that are more experienced.

I did check on the local thread on AVS Forum, and got no response to my question, however a guy from MY local area knew that area and said he thought the 3721 woudl be a good choice. I'd just like to see if others feel the same and if that setup we're thinking of would work the way I think it would.

AGain, sorry for the long explanation/post. And I appreciate any feedback!

Thanks again!
Bruce

 

[kb7oeb]

http://antennaweb.org/ is the best place to go for picking out an antenna.

Digital is worth thinking about because analogs are planned to go off in early 2009. The downside is the digital tuners cost about as much as just buying a new tv that has a tuner built in. All models about 25 inches should have them now and in a few months all models are required to have them.

The only thing I can think to add is you can save $5 a month by using a 322 instead of two 311s but it might make the install more complicated.

 

[oljim]

When you have weak signal DO NOT use diplexers, run cable from ant. to each TV

 

[SmityWhity]

Sat 110, Spotbeam 12 is advertised westward where the Old Spanish Trail crosses the Sabine River. This spotbeam carries Lafayette (5), Baton Rouge (6), and New Orleans (10) locals. DTV/HD locals are not available for those area's, and not long ago Dish was offering antenna's for those in the NO area, hinting they wont't be getting the DTV/HD from Dish.

So maybe your father would be happier with the 10 New Orleans channels, instead of the 5 Beaumont channels.

Then maybe the local cable company will offer the locals from Lake Charles, Beaumont, Lafayette, and New Iberia, for a reasonable price, or maybe very cheap if it was considered a lifeline. But any antenna will probably pick up the 3 Lake Charles channels (NBC, FOX, & PBS-LPB).

The antenna/cable can go directly into the 311, and then the 311 will feed satellite signals when on, or will pass-thru analog OTA or cable when off. Or you could have the 311 feed the sat programming to a video input, while the OTA/Cable goes to the antenna jack on the TV.

With a 322, it can feed the TV2 output over your home cable system to the other TV's and be controlled by a UHF PRO remote from the other location(s). In most cases it can be combined with an OTA/Cable signal to feed the other TV's. Only drawback on the 322 is the TV2 output will be mono and not stereo. (But this will allow him to run a coax to the barn, and then use the remote control to change channels.)

So if no more than 2 TV's will ever be used at one time, maybe a single 322 will work; or one 322 and one 311 may save running satellite feeds.

Good luck,

Time to swing back down through that area, last week I had to buy boudin from Super-Wally-World, and it was packaged in Beaumont.

 

[bderouen]

Sat 110, Spotbeam 12 is advertised westward where the Old Spanish Trail crosses the Sabine River. This spotbeam carries Lafayette (5), Baton Rouge (6), and New Orleans (10) locals. DTV/HD locals are not available for those area's, and not long ago Dish was offering antenna's for those in the NO area, hinting they wont't be getting the DTV/HD from Dish.

So maybe your father would be happier with the 10 New Orleans channels, instead of the 5 Beaumont channels.

Then maybe the local cable company will offer the locals from Lake Charles, Beaumont, Lafayette, and New Iberia, for a reasonable price, or maybe very cheap if it was considered a lifeline. But any antenna will probably pick up the 3 Lake Charles channels (NBC, FOX, & PBS-LPB).

The antenna/cable can go directly into the 311, and then the 311 will feed satellite signals when on, or will pass-thru analog OTA or cable when off. Or you could have the 311 feed the sat programming to a video input, while the OTA/Cable goes to the antenna jack on the TV.

With a 322, it can feed the TV2 output over your home cable system to the other TV's and be controlled by a UHF PRO remote from the other location(s). In most cases it can be combined with an OTA/Cable signal to feed the other TV's. Only drawback on the 322 is the TV2 output will be mono and not stereo. (But this will allow him to run a coax to the barn, and then use the remote control to change channels.)

So if no more than 2 TV's will ever be used at one time, maybe a single 322 will work; or one 322 and one 311 may save running satellite feeds.

Good luck,

Time to swing back down through that area, last week I had to buy boudin from Super-Wally-World, and it was packaged in Beaumont.

Yeah, actually it was a mistake putting him in Lafayette as his service address. I've since learned that the Beaumont channels put out a weaker signal than lafayette, even though Beaumont is closer. Since i was very unfamiliar, and since the installer didn't understad what Dad wanted, he set him up in lafayette. The installer thought he would be fine getting locals out of lafayette. his main reason for wanting both is some teams he watches come out of Beaumont sometimes and sometimes out of Lafayette. I asked the installer what the chance of redoing that and showing him in Beaumont, but he was afraid that woudl look strange and raise a red flag. So i don't think there is anything we can do about his service address, unless he gets hooked up and then we show him move later.

I'm looking at the Channelmaster 3721, but my only concern is it is a Large Directional antenna. According to Antennaweb, the beaumont channels are almost due west, but the real locals, channel 7, etc, are almost NNE.. I'm wondering...since the local channels are so close, woudl it matter that the antenna is directional and not pointed directly at the stations? The 3721 is very powerful, but it is directional. How would that work? Am I making sense?

 

[SmityWhity]

His main reason for wanting both is some teams he watches come out of Beaumont sometimes and sometimes out of Lafayette.

Astros and Cubs.

Although I suspect the directional would pick up the regular power Beaumont stations, it may or may not pick up Lake Charles. Generally, with more gain you have in that direction, you will have more rejection from the back & sides; and not to mention the possibility of the iron works at the refineries if he lives near-by one or two of them. (If he lives close enough, they might even reflect the signals to his advantage.)

If he lives real close to the transmitter, he may pick it up with no problems.

I don't know what to tell you, except possibly 2 antenna's with a switch.

 

[bderouen]

Astros and Cubs.

Although I suspect the directional would pick up the regular power Beaumont stations, it may or may not pick up Lake Charles. Generally, with more gain you have in that direction, you will have more rejection from the back & sides; and not to mention the possibility of the iron works at the refineries if he lives near-by one or two of them. (If he lives close enough, they might even reflect the signals to his advantage.)

If he lives real close to the transmitter, he may pick it up with no problems.

I don't know what to tell you, except possibly 2 antenna's with a switch.

That's what I was afraid of. He doesn't live close to the refineries...actually kinda far. He lives in South Lake Charles.

I tell you what...I'm gonna send you a PM with his address, so I don't blast his address across the internet so you can take a look at that plot on antennaweb and see what you think. Plus I'll send a link to the kind of antenna I was thinking about. I jsut don't think he'd go for the idea of 2 antennas, that's why I'm trying to figure out one good one. I'm just getting the sinking feeling this is just not going to work the way I'd like it to.

I appreciate your help!!

 

[rcdallas]

Alot of its trial and error. It sounds like your going to have multiple over-the-air antennas with switches and coax everywhere.

The fun part is explaining how to work it all.

 

[bderouen]

Well...all this for NOTHING! ARGH My Dad just emailed me and said "never mind"...it seems their cable provider has decided to not pull channels like they threatened...so he's "happy with what he's got"!

Parents! !sadroll

Thanks for the input everyone! It may come in handy later, but at 84 years old, i doubt it. I guess i should've expected this!

Bruce

 

[SmityWhity]

Just logged on a few minutes ago, read your PM and responded.

As RCDallas said, explaining it. I touched on that subject also.

But now you have time to think a little more on which way to go if there's another change.